2024-25 Gopher Hockey Season

[bonin21]

Game 1 vs. Air Force
Friday, October 11 at 9:30CST
BTN+
Las Vegas (Ice Breaker)

Season 7 for Motzko

 

[bonin21]

SCSU @ UST (first home opponent for Gophers) currently in first intermission on Fox9+.
1-0 SCSU

 

[bonin21]

Results from the weekend made it easy for voters this week, and so the Gophers enter next weekend ranked #5 and will have a good matchup on Saturday regardless of who they play (Omaha or UMass).

Air Force needs to be a win.

 

[bonin21]

The attendance is going to be an absolute joke this weekend. Rose Bowl is an excuse but not enough of one to prevent the amount of UND fanbase laughing that will happen after they got 15K attendance in Vegas two years ago.

 

[Gophers1992]

The attendance is going to be an absolute joke this weekend. Rose Bowl is an excuse but not enough of one to prevent the amount of UND fanbase laughing that will happen after they got 15K attendance in Vegas two years ago.

Oh no a bunch of inbred UND fans are going to laugh at us! What horror.

 

[bonin21]

Oh no a bunch of inbred UND fans are going to laugh at us! What horror.

My point it just don't act like the Gopher hockey fanbase is anywhere close to level they are. Of course there is nothing to do up there, but the amount they travel is head and shoulders above any other team.

 

[Crosby]

The attendance is going to be an absolute joke this weekend. Rose Bowl is an excuse but not enough of one to prevent the amount of UND fanbase laughing that will happen after they got 15K attendance in Vegas two years ago.

You should really, really give up on this program. You hate the coach. You think the fans suck. You think the recruiting classes suck. You think we dont travel well. Why even follow this team? Do us all a favor and start rooting for the Sioux.

 

[Gophers1992]

My point it just don't act like the Gopher hockey fanbase is anywhere close to level they are. Of course there is nothing to do up there, but the amount they travel is head and shoulders above any other team.

Which literally noone has ever disputed. My point is who really cares? I can't imagine spending my energy being upset over that.

 

[bonin21]

You should really, really give up on this program. You hate the coach. You think the fans suck. You think the recruiting classes suck. You think we dont travel well. Why even follow this team? Do us all a favor and start rooting for the Sioux.

I don't think the fans suck. That would be hypocritical as I'm not in Vegas, either.

It's just going to be embarrassing for the program and they should have known this would happen and held the Ice Breaker at Mariucci.

 

[WoodburyTim]

You should really, really give up on this program. You hate the coach. You think the fans suck. You think the recruiting classes suck. You think we dont travel well. Why even follow this team? Do us all a favor and start rooting for the Sioux.

Bonin is often negative but he also posts a lot of interesting and useful Gopher hockey news. Everyone else on here just post to complain about him not being positive enough. For all his curmudgeoness he is the only reason there is anything interesting to read on the Gopher Hockey Forum.

 

[Gophers1992]

Bonin is often negative but he also posts a lot of interesting and useful Gopher hockey news. Everyone else on here just post to complain about him not being positive enough. For all his curmudgeoness he is the only reason there is anything interesting to read on the Gopher Hockey Forum.

He’s a great source of info, but there’s a huge gap between “not positive enough” and his commentary that goes out of his way to spread misery.

Also he thinks the only reason people aren’t as doom and gloom as him is because we’re all too stupid to see things his way.

 

[bonin21]

BC is going to roll college hockey this regular season. Oh boy

 

[upnorthkid]

BC is going to roll college hockey this regular season. Oh boy

looked head and shoulders better than MSU. Did give up turnovers and are not overly physical. It's going to take a team with a sound system, some good team speed, some high end scorers and solid goaltending from an unlikely source to knock them out. Might as well be the Gophers to play the role of Denver this year

But yeah no team is going to have the skill to go toe to toe. Would expect they probably match last years win total if not exceed it. Should've probably won by 5 or 6 tonight.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Badgers losing 4-2 to Barto and Lindenwood is funny.

 

[bonin21]

Other than it being a punch for the pairwise for big ten teams

 

[upnorthkid]

Other than it being a punch for the pairwise for big ten teams

They lost to them last year as well. The big ten will be fine unless the league returns to the doldrum years where the Gophers dominated

 

[bonin21]

They lost to them last year as well. The big ten will be fine unless the league returns to the doldrum years where the Gophers dominated

At least the judgment is pretty easy.

4 teams in and at least one 1 seed = Good enough

 

[Crosby]

Thought the team looked GREAT last night. Our D is really, really good. Chesley was terrific. Goaltending was absolutely solid. Was really nice to see Kurth get that kind of production. Hope we are going to see a breakout season from him. Omaha will be a tougher test tonight, and we'll know a bit more after that.

 

[bonin21]

No, we'll know way more tonight not just a bit. AFA was awful. ASU beat them 8-1. Let's see after these three NCHC games away from Mariucci.

 

[upnorthkid]

No, we'll know way more tonight not just a bit. AFA was awful. ASU beat them 8-1. Let's see after these three NCHC games away from Mariucci.

tonight will be interesting as to how much a revenge narrative there is from Omaha's guy. Expect tonight to be a lot more physical.

 

[Crosby]

No, we'll know way more tonight not just a bit. AFA was awful. ASU beat them 8-1. Let's see after these three NCHC games away from Mariucci.

Yep we will know more after tonight. Fwiw... Air Force beat Arizona State in OT the night after the game you reference. They aren't a good team but they aren't DIII either

 

[upnorthkid]

looked head and shoulders better than MSU. Did give up turnovers and are not overly physical. It's going to take a team with a sound system, some good team speed, some high end scorers and solid goaltending from an unlikely source to knock them out. Might as well be the Gophers to play the role of Denver this year

But yeah no team is going to have the skill to go toe to toe. Would expect they probably match last years win total if not exceed it. Should've probably won by 5 or 6 tonight.

Huge bounce back win for MSU tonight

 

[bonin21]

What I learned watching some of that game tonight is that I underestimated MSU. They are in the mix with the moves they made in the portal.

 

[bonin21]

Alright I've seen enough to make this call. Outside of goaltending because we haven't seen it tested yet, this team is way better than last year. And a big part of that is Fish/Begley/Rud aren't on the back end. Those are not Gopher caliber D. These guys are. It seems minor but it makes a huge difference.

 

[Gophers1992]

Alright I've seen enough to make this call. Outside of goaltending because we haven't seen it tested yet, this team is way better than last year. And a big part of that is Fish/Begley/Rud aren't on the back end. Those are not Gopher caliber D. These guys are. It seems minor but it makes a huge difference.

Not minor at all, this D core is a good step up from last year’s (which turned into a pretty decent group by the end of last season).

 

[bonin21]

Imagine if the Gopher staff knew how to recruit an NHL caliber prospect like Omaha's instead of guys that seek you out themselves in the portal.

Fuck yesterday's game was annoying.

Wood was way overhyped and 81 needs to do more. Right now he's just one of the forwards and not the guy.

I think zero concerns from all other skaters other than 81 and 91 in terms of meeting expectations.

 

[bonin21]

If Ben Gordon is doing most of the recruiting and especially if he's designing the PP the last few years, might be time to mix it up after this season.

 

[upnorthkid]

Imagine if the Gopher staff knew how to recruit an NHL caliber prospect like Omaha's instead of guys that seek you out themselves in the portal.

Fuck yesterday's game was annoying.

Wood was way overhyped and 81 needs to do more. Right now he's just one of the forwards and not the guy.

I think zero concerns from all other skaters other than 81 and 91 in terms of meeting expectations.

take a breath bonin. they've played 2 games and Wood has 3 points. Snuggy has 15 shots and has hit the post twice. I'm as frustrated as anyone they dropped that game as it would've been a solid win against a team that should be in the mix in the NCHC that they blew making 2 dumb mistakes that you just can't have as they're both mental.

The PP concerns are definitely valid. You can't try trot out 3 different units. I get Bob likes our depth and such, but you need to have a unit that you favor to score frequently and/or consolidate the guys you think have the best chance onto a unit. Omaha's goalie played the game of his life and Omaha scored on 2/3 of their grade A chances. That's the joy (and pain) of hockey. Hopefully it's a learning moment for them in that you have to make hay when you're up on a team as they could've come out the first with a result that would've made the game untouchable from Omaha's standpoint.

This team definitely looks better, deeper, and faster than last year's team. Now they need to go out there and rip off the next 6 in a row (obviously a game at a time) and prove it. Things I really like is that they look much more sound in the D zone overall, are blocking shots at a better clip, and seem harder on pucks.

 

[Crosby]

Agreedy. I thought we didn't strategic

take a breath bonin. they've played 2 games and Wood has 3 points. Snuggy has 15 shots and has hit the post twice. I'm as frustrated as anyone they dropped that game as it would've been a solid win against a team that should be in the mix in the NCHC that they blew making 2 dumb mistakes that you just can't have as they're both mental.

The PP concerns are definitely valid. You can't try trot out 3 different units. I get Bob likes our depth and such, but you need to have a unit that you favor to score frequently and/or consolidate the guys you think have the best chance onto a unit. Omaha's goalie played the game of his life and Omaha scored on 2/3 of their grade A chances. That's the joy (and pain) of hockey. Hopefully it's a learning moment for them in that you have to make hay when you're up on a team as they could've come out the first with a result that would've made the game untouchable from Omaha's standpoint.

This team definitely looks better, deeper, and faster than last year's team. Now they need to go out there and rip off the next 6 in a row (obviously a game at a time) and prove it. Things I really like is that they look much more sound in the D zone overall, are blocking shots at a better clip, and seem harder on pucks.

Agreed. Another observation... I didn't like how we approached overtime. Puck possession is huge at that time, and we didn't play that way. In particular, Huglen attempted to beat two guys, by himself, and predictably gave up possession. They scored not long after. I like Huglen as a player but we have to be smarter than that.

 

[bonin21]

Omaha ain't gonna be in the mix in the NCHC. I think Duluth will be better by the end of the year when the freshmen are up to speed. So let's see this next weekend in a hostile environment.